Beirut Explosion: Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar Lead Bollywood in Praying for Victims

A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. More than 70 people were killed and 3,000 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said. The sudden devastation overwhelmed a country already struggling with both the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis.

A number of Bollywood actors expressed shocked at the tragedy and said their thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured.

"This is awful. Absolutely devastating. Sending all my love and prayers to everyone affected by this tragedy," tweeted Priyanka Chopra.

Farhan Akhtar wrote, "When your mind does not want to believe what your eyes have just seen. #Beirut and it’s people in my thoughts."

Swara Bhasker also expressed concerned for the people of Lebanese. "Horrifying and heart-wrenching! Cannot imagine what devastation and pain there must be on the streets of #Beirut Ravaged one too many times," she wrote on Twitter.

Here's how other Bollywood celebs reacted to the news:

The blast struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany's geosciences center GFZ, and it was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) across the Mediterranean.

For hours afterward, ambulances rushing in from around Lebanon carried away the wounded. Hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies, and generators to keep their lights on.

For blocks around the port, where the explosion took place, bloodied residents staggered through streets lined with overturned cars and littered with rubble from shattered buildings. Windows and doors were blown out kilometres (miles) away. Army helicopters helped battle fires raging at Beirut's port.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known, but initial reports suggested a fire had detonated a warehouse at the port.

Abbas Ibrahim, chief of Lebanese General Security, said it might have been caused by highly explosive material that was confiscated from a ship some time ago and stored at the port.